Sam Salmon with Me&Kay at White Lilac

Sam Salmon is the country songwriting moniker of Brydon Crain, best known as the singer and songwriter for the acclaimed New Brunswick indie rock band Motherhood. Motherhood has earned a reputation across Canada’s independent music scene for inventive songwriting, off-kilter humor, and adventurous arrangements—often carrying a playful nod to the influence of Frank Zappa, with unexpected structures and genre-bending creativity.

With Sam Salmon, Crain turns toward a different tradition—stripped-down country songwriting rooted in honesty and storytelling. The project trades Motherhood’s art-rock eccentricity for something more timeless: songs built on simple chords, lived-in lyrics, and melodies that feel like they’ve been around for decades.

His debut album Down For Life, recorded with the Grand Manan Bandits, has drawn praise for its gritty, roots-driven sound. Bandcamp described the music as “a loping country-rock groove… like a vintage recording of the missing link between fellow Canadian twang-masters The Sadies and Neil Young.” CBC called it “your official foot-stomper,” while PAN M 360 dubbed the record a “Maritime dirt country album.”

Songs from the album are already reaching a wider audience, receiving airplay on Outlaw Country on SiriusXM, a channel known for spotlighting authentic voices in roots and independent country music. Salmon is also gaining recognition on the festival circuit, appearing this year as a featured performer at Treefort Music Fest, one of North America’s most respected independent music gatherings.

Performing solo at White Lilac, Salmon brings these songs back to their essence—voice, guitar, and storytelling. In an intimate listening room like White Lilac, every lyric lands closer and every note resonates deeper.

Sharing the evening is Me&Kay, the delightfully unconventional solo project of Maggie Dahlberg. Dahlberg—music director at St. Paul's Lutheran Church and director of the Village Singers—performs humorous original songs while accompanying herself on her beloved Kay upright bass, occasionally running it through groovy effects pedals for unexpected sonic twists.

A classically trained pianist with a performance master’s degree from Northwestern University, Dahlberg picked up the upright bass simply to rediscover the joy of learning a new instrument from scratch. After moving from the Olympic Peninsula to Chicago in 2007—with her Kay bass in tow—she launched Me&Kay and has since played with numerous bands at venues across the Chicago–Milwaukee corridor.

Together, this show pairs two distinctive voices in songwriting—Sam Salmon’s heartfelt modern country storytelling alongside Me&Kay’s witty, groove-driven bass-and-voice performances—an evening of original music perfectly suited for the intimate listening-room experience of White Lilac.

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Host or Publisher KmacK Productions